Middlesbrough have handed a debut to Newcastle United loanee Sammy Ameobi as they play host to Cardiff City in the Championship.

Boro boss Tony Mowbray is without the services of the injured Andre Bikey and Jonathan Woodgate, with the latter still nursing a calf problem.

Cardiff manager Malky Mackay has made just one change for the trip to the Riverside Stadium, bringing in Kevin McNaughton for injured captain Mark Hudson.

Middlesbrough: Steele, Bailey, Friend, McManus, Hines, McEachran, Dyer, Leadbitter, Ameobi, Miller, McDonald

Cardiff: Marshall, McNaughton, Taylor, Turner, Whittingham, Conway, Connolly, Smith, Gunnarsson, Campbell, Bellamy